


Love Game

by Anita_Reality_Check



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Arranged Marriage, F/M, Hate, India, L4, Love, Multi, Pregnancy, game
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-16
Updated: 2013-02-25
Packaged: 2017-11-21 06:37:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/594608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anita_Reality_Check/pseuds/Anita_Reality_Check
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You have no idea how crazy she truly is. I mean, just when you think that you have reached the end of her craziness, a door opens and you realize that there is a whole underground basement of her crazy sitting in storage." Quatre stared at the brunnette man before shaking his head. </p><p>Quatre Raberba Winner had been betrothed to the daughter of a wealthy Indian family on L4 by his father when he was a baby. Unfortunately, he and Ms. Lalita Ganesh hated one another with a passion that burned like a thousand suns. They grew up knowing they would one day marry, until they found that being the heads of their families, they could now terminate the agreement, and instead opt for a pleasure only business arrangement. What happens when this backfires?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Makes Me Wonder

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. I DO, however, own Lalita Ganesh and Parvati Singh and possibly other characters as well. Please, if you would like to use Lalita or Parvati, just ask. Thank you._ **

**_Chapter One:_ **

**_Makes Me Wonder_ **

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

He stared at the girl who had just come from Une's office intensely, taking in every inch that he could as she strutted across the room. If he were being truthful with himself, instead of trying to convince himself that he was wrong, he would have admitted that she was the most gorgeous thing on two legs he had ever come across. Her long, wavy, black hair hung loose around her shoulders, flitting gracefully as she made her way past the cubicles, her large bronze eyes intently watching him as she approached.

Alas, it was not meant to be.

Upon reaching him she stopped dead in her tracks, and stared at him , bronze staring into aquamarine.

"Winner." His name came out harsh, bitter even, but her eyes remained soft.

This was something he had always noticed about her. While her stare remained cold and unwavering, her eyes were never cruel and judging. It was something he figured she had mastered over the years, a very useful tool in a stressful board room situation, where callousness was needed, but kindness earned compliance instead of fear.

"Ganesh." He responded curtly, as he repressed his usual smile.

Was it just him, or had the temperature in the room suddenly dropped several degrees?

"I see you are working for the Preventors, how interesting." She paused a moment and smiled. "Has the Winner Corporation finally come to their senses and ousted their CEO?" She asked, a smug grin slipping onto her face.

It was not the most original thing she could have asked him, but what could he possibly come back with?

"Funny, seeing as you are here yourself, in  _our_  uniform. Have the flying monkeys of Ganesh Enterprises finally come to their senses and killed the witch, or did the water refuse to take?" he laughed mentally, forcing his face to remain neutral as crimson rushed to her cheeks.

Whether it was due to her embarrassment or anger, he could only guess.

Unfortunately, keeping a straight face was far easier than controlling other areas of his anatomy, much to his displeasure.

"Oh, how original, Mr. Winner." She huffed, leaning back on her right foot and rested her right elbow on her left hand and placing the knuckles under her chin and was clearly amused. She raked her eyes over his body a moment and then chuckled. "My, I seem to be having rather a pleasant effect over you. Pity that I have no interest in taking advantage of  _that_." She raised an eyebrow, her gaze focused on his crotch.

She watched the blonde's eyes widen briefly before she continued to laugh, and walked away.

Quatre paused, and looked down for a brief moment in horror, before looking back up, his face flushing deeply. In an effort to spare himself more embarrassment, he immediately sat down at his desk and forced himself to think of other, less compromising things.

Unfortunately, one Lalita Ganesh had been doing this to him for years and every single time they had come face to face, she would always get under his skin and with time, things had progressively grown worse.

He stared at the computer screen in deep thought, and drummed his fingers on the desk.

It was then that Duo walked past, and eyed the agitated blonde curiously. He had seen the whole situation play out, but then again, so had most of the office...

It wasn't hard for others to see really not with it happening right outside his rarely occupied office just off the cubicle farm... and to think, it had simply all gone down just because he'd wanted to watch the object of his affections make her way to his side of the room.

Where she had humiliated him in front of everyone he knew.

What the hell was wrong with him?

It wasn't as though he was consciously admitting that he was infatuated with the woman, his rival, but anyone with a brain could see that he did in fact hold an honest interest in her. Even his best friend, Trowa, could see the connection between him and the Indian woman. In fact, it had been Trowa who had brought it to his attention for the first time, a couple of years ago.

Two years to be exact, and in fact, it had been on his eighteenth birthday, when he had held a huge benefit, and the woman had been invited. All of the Elite families of L4 had been there, along with several close friends.

"Aww, I'm happy to see you too buddy, but not that happy." Duo chuckled, watching as the blonde moved a small stack of papers into his lap.

"Wait… NO!" The blonde sputtered. "That damned femme fatale, Lalita Ganesh! She has been a thorn in my side since… since... well, no matter." He huffed, scrambling to his feet, knocking the aforementioned papers to the floor. "I think I need to take shower, please excuse me Duo." And with that, Quatre gave the braided man a curt nod before he pushed past him and sprinted out of the office.

Duo sighed, a quirky grin spreading across his face, as he knelt down to gather up the forgotten papers.

"Man, he just gets weirder and weirder with every passing year." Duo chuckled, placing the papers back on the man's desk.

He paused, looking at the blonde's computer, and smirked. Quatre had not only forgotten to shut down the computer in his effort to get away, but had also neglected to exit out of a chat window, much to Duo's pleasure.

_**BartonBloomT:** _

_It is no business of mine, but why the hostility?_

_**WinnerQR:** _

_Competition. She is the head of Ganesh Enterprises._

_**BartonBloomT:** _

_She's pretty though._

_**WinnerQR:** _

_You think I don't know that already? Believe me… I do. I've been dealing with this for years..._

_**BartonBloomT:** _

_Then why fight it? This is one battle that doesn't NEED to be fought._

_**WinnerQR:** _

_How would that look on me… on the company?_

_**BartonBloomT:** _

_The public would view it as a business merger_.

'So, they aren't lovers after all, and all this time I thought Trowa and Quatre were together.' Duo chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

He had figured that with the way those two acted around one another, that they could have possibly been item. But then again, the only one who acted feminine in any way was Quatre, and as the fates would have it, it was due to him having so many sisters.

Suddenly, the computer beeped, and Duo glanced up at the monitor.

_**BartonBloomT:** _

_Mind your own business Maxwell._

Duo only laughed at the message and peered out the open door, across the cubicles at Trowa's office.

"Still seems suspicious between those two, despite this new development..." He chuckled, before turning the monitor off and going on his way.

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**Ganesh Limo**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

"We'll be arriving at the shuttle port in one hour, Ms. Ganesh." The woman, Parvati Singh, beside her stated, her thick Indian accent apparent but understandable. "How was your meeting with Ms. Une?"

Lalita sighed, and pressed her back against the cool leather seat.

"As it always is, Parvati." She smiled. "Although, it would have been better if Jay had not hit that bump earlier, and sent my coffee all over me." She muttered, glaring up at the closed tinted window that concealed said driver. "No matter, Lady Une was kind enough to give me a uniform of theirs to wear in place of my ruined suit. Not that I plan to ever touch the thing again once we return." she huffed, examining the small embroidery around the cuffs.

"Did you happen to see Mr. Winner today?" The woman asked, a smirk slipping onto her face.

She knew EXACTLY why this little mishap was bothering her employer. She could always tell. Lalita Ganesh always seemed to become flustered when it came to the blonde Winner Heir. She could even recall one business meeting in particular with the man, that Lalita spent several hours getting ready for. She had torn apart her closet searching for something that would impress. In the end, she came out more angered and worked up than she had thought it humanly possible.

"Yes. Yes I did." She grumbled. "It was a surprise really. I did not think the Gundam Pilot would be working two jobs." She huffed, crossing her arms.

"I highly doubt that the man is working two jobs, ma'am." The girl sighed and looked at her employer. "He could simply just be volunteering his time. He isn't a pilot any longer. I'm sure working with the Preventers gives him some form of nostalgia from those days. His comrades do work there as well."

Lalita raised an eyebrow at the woman, and a small smile played across her lips.

"That was a bit bold, even for you, Parvati." She chuckled, resting her chin upon her knuckles as she stared out the tinted windows. "His company will surrender to mine, eventually. That's all that truly matters though."

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**Preventer Headquarters Cafeteria**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

"Anyone see Winner rush out of the office today?" Wufei asked, slipping down into he seat. "Why do I think it had something to do with that woman Une met with earlier?"

"Ms. Ganesh's company is a rival of the Winner Corporation." Trowa stated. "That alone is enough to frazzle Quatre's nerves, but the physical attraction is quite apparent as well, at least on his end."

"I noticed." Duo chuckled. "The guy had a circus tent in his pants. " He paused, watching as Trowa choked on his coffee, and then continued with a chuckle. "He left over an hour ago, I thought he went to shower... but MAYBE, just maybe, he tracked down this Ganesh girl and …" He paused, taking in the odd expressions his comrades were giving him, each having raised their eyebrows at him. "What? What's wrong with a little nookie in the elevator?"

"Don't you know him at all by now?" Trowa asked, sighing as he leaned forward in his chair, resting his chin on his knuckles. "Quatre is not that sort of man. He'd never insult someone so much as to come onto them in such a dingy, cramped, public location."

Duo only rolled his eyes, and propped himself up against the wall.

"And you wonder why people think you two are gay for each other. You two know each other so well, it's unnatural." he chuckled.

Trowa chose to ignore this comment, and proceeded with the conversation.

"Quatre clearly needs to pursue her." Trowa murmured. "He's obviously infatuated, why not take a chance? Better to have tried and failed, then do nothing and regret it. And I believe that people would refer to our relationship as a 'Bromance'. Not that I would ever call it that, but on the whole, Maxwell, what Quatre and I have has a name. There is nothing wrong with being close friends."

"If that is what you want to call it." Duo shrugged looking at him.

"But the hostility between them?" Heero asked, joining in on the group discussion.

"I believe it to be more of a sexual tension situation than simple hostility." Trowa answered. "And rivalry of course. I'm not as good with reading people as you, why don't you tell me? I'm sure you've assessed the situation, far prior to now." He chuckled, smiling at the man.

"Then Operation Mr. Winner and Ms. Ganesh shall commence." Came the chipper, if not heavily accented, voice of Parvati.

"How did you get pass security?" Heero asked, standing between her and the others.

"I have clearance, Mr. Yuy. I am here on business for Ms. Ganesh." The group of men only stared. "I was picking up some papers from Ms. Une. Ms. Ganesh left them on Ms. Une's desk, so I was let off a few blocks away so that I may retrieve them. I feel bad for sending her back off to L4 without me, but alas I must do  _my_  job, and not worry too immensely for my employer's well-being." She sighed, slumping her shoulders.

"Right." Trowa stated, still unsure about the woman. For all he knew, Lalita had sent her there to spy. 

"I happen to know that Ms. Ganesh is going to the Preventers' Holiday Ball, alone. How about Mr. Winner?" She asked, smiling in Trowa's direction.

Clearly she had managed to hear their entire conversation, and had pegged him as the best person to talk to on that matter.

"I believe he is, but then again, he doesn't tell me everything." Trowa replied, standing from the table. "If you will excuse me."

"That's not what your long haired friend has implied. However, if it is any consolation to you, Mr. Barton, I am also attending, alone." Parvati called after him, returning his shocked gaze with a warm smile. "All I ask for is a dance, nothing more." She chuckled, watching the man walk out the door. "Well, if you will excuse me Mr. Yuy, Mr. Chang, Mr. Maxwell." She nodded in their direction and then walked out the door herself.

"Are all the inhabitants of L4 like that?" Duo asked. "Or is it just the rich ones?"

Heero only sighed and shook his head sadly

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

**Peace Manor Sanc Kingdom**

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

He had been pacing the length of the first floor sitting room for over an hour. This was not the first run in at Preventor Headquarters he'd had with the woman, but that didn't seem to matter... Why did she have such an effect over him? What was she playing at? Why was she able to torment him so?

She'd been tormenting him for years. Their father's had been friends throughout their college days, and had been prime business rivals, but had never let that get in the way of their friendship. They had been thrown together as playmates as soon as they had been able to crawl, and even then she had always seemed to have the upper hand.

He remembered the onetime, years ago, that she had tackled him to the floor, wrestling with him over some stupid comment he had made that made her upset. It had happened just before he had run away starting his life as a mobile suit pilot. That day had made him realize exactly what hold she had over him, when the same event as earlier had occurred.

"Why me?" He groaned, throwing himself down on the sofa, hanging his head in his hands. "What is this hold she has over me? I don't need this... I've never needed it." He sighed, and leaned back into the cushions, staring at the cup of tea he had let grow cold.

He picked it up and took a sip of it, frowning.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of Mozart floating into the air. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and looked at the number.

He let loose a soft whine.

"What does she want?" He muttered flipping the phone open to glare at the screen. "Winner speaking."

"Amazing! You actually answered." Came the high lilting voice of Lalita.

"What do you want, Ganesh?" Quatre snipped.

The phone beeped, and suddenly the screen lit up, the smug face of Lalita smiling up at him.

He honestly wished she had not done so, for his heart jumped into overdrive as he gazed down at her.

"My, mighty hostile, I hope it was nothing that I did... or said... or... caused." She snickered, and he watched her as she sat back in her seat, crossing her arms. "I was just calling to find out exactly why you were at the Preventers headquarters this fine afternoon?"

The blonde frowned.

"That is really  _none_  of your concern." He stated standing up and taking another sip of tea. "Or shall I ask you the same question?"

"I had business with Lady Une." She stated with a smirk on her face. "Your turn." She extended one of her left hand to signal this, and then returned it to the cradle of her right elbow.

"I happen volunteer my time, and regardless, I also happen to back the organization." He said. "I really do not see why this is relevant, Lalita, please get to the point of this call."

"I, too, back the Preventors, or have you forgotten?" She paused a moment before shaking her head. "Any matter, do I truly need a reason to call you?" She dropped her hands into her lap and then leaned forward with a pout. "I thought we were friends."

"I honestly do not understand you!" He growled in a tight, controlled voice. "What are you playing at, Lalita?"

"Oh, come now, Quatre, you know very well what I'm playing at, and I don't intend to back down easily." She chuckled staring at him through the screen. "Now what will I have to do to convince you to hand it over willingly?"

"I will never give you my company, that is not what either of our fathers had wanted. They wanted a merger by marriage." Quatre said exasperatedly. "I have told you countless times that it will  _not_  happen, I will not sell, and I will not marry you. I'm opposed to a loveless marriage." He huffed.

"I wouldn't want you." She stated, her face becoming more serious and less playful. "I don't even want the entire company, just the branch that is located in my district."

Quatre glared at the woman on screen.

"Lalita, I've already told you my answer, and I believe that it was no. I will not sell out my employees. This is not a matter up for discussion." His grip on the delicate tea cup tightened.

"For now it may not be," She leaned back, "But this is  _not_  over." She tilted her head, and at once, the screen went black.

Quatre sighed in frustration and it was the tea cup that took the punishment for her actions and words, as it collided with the wall, and smashed into a million pieces.

**-x-x-x-x-x-x-**

 


	2. Over My Head (Cable Car)

Chapter Two: Over My Head (Cable Car)

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

She sat back in her seat, staring at the blank screen. She rested her elbow on the arm of the seat and rested her chin on her hand as she thought about what her next step would entail. She knew for a fact that he was invited to the Preventer Holiday Ball and he was sure to be in attendance, even though her faithful lap dog, Parvati, stated that it was unclear if he would attend. She would have to find a way to humiliate him there as well. The question was what tactic would be viable to her cause. Did she want him hating her even more or eating out of the palm of her hand? Her next step really depended on him and she hoped he was compliant to her will.

She reached her other hand over to the keypad that was integrated with the shuttle seat and tapped in a few numbers. Within moments, a dark haired man appeared on the screen.

"Good Morning, Ms. Ganesh." Came the deep Indian accented voice of who she had called. She stared at the man on the screen enjoying how he fidgeted with his hands. She knew that this was going over the line, but it was the only way she would be able to acquire the information she would need in order to take her next step.

"Why Good Morning Ravi, how are you?" She asked sitting up straight.

"Quite well, ma'am, what may I help you with this lovely day?" he asked nervously. He had started to visibly shake with fear, or could it be nerves… she couldn't tell. All she knew was that it was aesthetically pleasing to her eye. It didn't take much to shake one Ravinash Bahkshi and she knew that her very image was enough to make his skin crawl. What amused her to no end was that this man, who was considerably older than herself and his employer, was terrified of his said employer… one Quatre Raberba Winner.

She had him where she wanted him and she didn't even need to make a threatening move, this pleased her greatly.

"I just need to know what Mr. Winner's date book entails for the next two weeks." She smiled warmly at the man, though she already knew he was eating out of the palm of her hand. It was a shame, though, that he did not officially work for her, he would have been a great asset to the company one that she would have refused to have let go. She liked her employees eating out of her hand. If this made her a dictator, then the definition of the word needed a revision. She was not a cold woman; she just enjoyed efficiency and accuracy. You could say she was a perfectionist, just like Ravinash Chaudry Bahkshi. That must have been why he had his parents pick Sobia Gaia Winner as his wife. It was a shame, however, that he was terrified of his own shadow. "You can have the sheets forwarded to my office, correct?"

"Of… of… of course, ma'am." The man bowed. "It m… may be s… slightly difficult to acqu… quire, but I can assure you that you will have the information you desire by the time your shuttle arrives."

"Thank you, Mr. Bakshi." She ended the call and leaned back in her seat. It would be another four hours till she would arrive to L4.

x-x-x-x

Earth, Peace Manor

x-x-x-x

The moment the cup hit the wall was the moment he saw a very pregnant Relena standing in the doorway. The look on the woman's face was priceless. He hung his head in shame as the woman looked at him and then at the cup. She shook her head before making her way through the door.

"Quatre, that was an heirloom." Relena said calmly. She came into the room and sat down on the couch that he had vacated only moments before. She rested her hands on her stomach and looked up at him with a confused expression. She had never really seen him so… disheveled... before.

"I'm so sorry." He said sitting down beside her and resting his forehead in his hands. He was aggravated with Lalita and he just took the anger out on a cup. He rarely let his anger get the best of him and he knew that this was not going to be the last time she'd get under his skin. It was like a game for her, some torturous game that she enjoyed playing with great enthusiasm. He looked at the broken shards of fine china that was scattered on the plush royal blue carpet. He was positive that Relena thought that his anger was aimed at her, which was most definitely not the case. "That cup was not aimed…"

"What's her name?" Relena interrupted. Quatre's head just popped up and stared at her. How in the hell did she know it was a girl? How could she possibly know that his anger was caused by the one woman in the universe who had ever managed to anger him to the point of cup breakage?

Was it that obvious that he was this hung up over a woman who drove him completely up the wall?

"Lalita Ganesh." He nearly whispered. Recognition dawned on the young woman's face as she nodded with a smile.

Relena knew Lalita quite well, and had, on many occasions, had lunch with the young heiress. Relena knew that the woman spoke of Quatre more often than not, and she knew that Lalita was just as hung up on Quatre as Quatre was clearly hung up on her. Relena's only hope was that they would find one another before it was too late for either one of them, if not both. It was only a matter of time before one of them settled down.

"Ah, one of the financiers of the Preventers." She answered the questioning gaze the boy gave her.

"What?" Quatre sat up completely and just stared the woman down. He had no idea that the little fox devil even had an interest in the Preventers none the less wanting to support the group. He seriously wanted to know what she was playing at, and he wanted that answer now.

"You didn't know?" Relena smiled. "I was sure that Lady Une had told you." She knew for a fact that the woman had made a comment about the young heiress being a financial backer and that Quatre was, in fact, there. To be quite honest, so was Ms. Ganesh. Had he paid attention to Lady Une or had he paid attention to the fact that the woman in question was sitting directly across the table, glaring at him? At least she thought she was glaring at him. She could have very well been undressing the man with her eyes… it was quite possible.

"No." Quatre shook his head. He had no recollection of Lady Une even mentioning Lalita, if she had in fact told him, he would have objected vehemently that she not be on the board. "If she had, I would have … God, she would do this."

"Seems to me that you may like her." Relena chuckled. It was now apparent that Quatre had not been paying attention at that meeting. Could she really blame him? She recalled a number of occasions when Heero had been in the same room and… maybe not the line of thought required for the current conversation.

"Of course I like her but she hates me." The blond shook his head and looked to the floor. "Not to mention that she is the most infuriating creature the universe has to offer. She is always on my mind, either because she did something to infuriate me or … or… never mind. Forget I said anything." He replaced his head to his hands and sighed in frustration.

"Or love her." Relena shrugged. "It's quite possible that you are in love with the woman and you are denying your heart what it desires by not pursuing…"

"How do you know so much?" Quatre interrupted.

"I have a Heero."

x-x-x-x-x-x

L4- Lord Shiva Estate

x-x-x-x-x-x

"Welcome home, Madam." A greying woman in a white sari bowed slightly towards the heiress.

"Hello, Mrs. Madduri." Lalita stated walking in the door and greeting her head of staff. She looked at the greying woman with a smile. "How is my father?" She asked.

"As well as a man in his condition can be, Madam." The old woman answered. "Dr. Gupta is upstairs if you would like to speak with him."

"Send him to my office when he is done, Mrs. Madduri." She started up the stairs slowly. She wanted to discuss the possibility of no longer prolonging the inevitable outcome of her father's illness. He was very sick, and she knew that there was nothing left they could possibly do for him. Even in the age of the medical advancements there was nothing they could do for him.

Devindar Ganesh had been ill for quite some time and there were no medical treatments available for the illness nor a name. It was one of the drawbacks of living on the colonies, some of the illnesses that had started once the original colonists arrived had never been defined. The reason why many of them still existed was due to mutations. They had only recently been able to fix the child birth problem, that happened sixty years or so ago, though there were still a small fraction of families that still had issues. The Winners being one of them, not to mention her own family though her mother did not die, she merely ran off about two months after having Lalita.

The last she heard about her mother was that she had married a high ranked Alliance member, who had perished in the war of 195, leaving her with four young children and no money. In Lalitas mind, that was what the woman deserved, her own coming about was a ruse to get her fathers money and she had done the same to that other man. Her mother had been very young when she married Devindar, it had been arranged by her parents. It had been customary for the poor amongst that sector of the colony to vie for an arranged marriage to someone of standing, and for her mother, it had worked out. The problem with the marriage arose when Mrs. Ganesh discovered that her child would be the only child they would ever have, since Devindar fell extremely ill half way through the pregnancy. Since she bore a daughter, if he were to die, everything would go to his brother, since, that was law.

That never mattered though. There had been a contract drawn between her father and that of his best friend and sworn business enemy, Zayeed Winner. She was to marry Zayeed Winners son upon her eighteenth birthday. When she took over the family in 196, she destroyed the document, she had been informed that Quatre had done the same. It was known early one that the two hated one another and not a thing could be done to change either one's mind.

Fortunately for Lalita, her father's brother succumbed to the very disease that her father had been fighting since before her birth. All her male cousins died in the war and she was the last one left. She was the heiress by default.

The man that her mother had married had left four trust funds for their children and made sure that Lalita's mother did not have access to the accounts. It was known that her mother was a gold digger, from a low caste and was willing to whatever was necessary to gain a lavish lifestyle. It was no secret that she had chosen her first husband and that she had left him for a monetary reason, the society ostracized her for the reason of abandoning her child. It was only a matter of time till the woman came after Lalita's own inheritance. It was something that both she and her father feared.

"Of course Madam." The woman bowed to Lalita's retreating figure.

Lalita reached her home office, the one that had formally been her Fathers; she really hadn't had much changed, only the curtains and the paintings that had lined the walls. She had needed the feminine touch for her own sanity and the before colony painting of a bunch of dogs playing poker was not her idea of great art. However, her favorite photo on her desk was that of her at the age of about six with that of a six year old Quatre Raberba Winner. It had been their sixth birthday party, a party which they shared every year up until they had turned about ten. That particular year, the boy had given her a puppy, which had been exactly what she had wanted and she had given him a bunch of wooden logs, a toy called Lincoln Logs, he was the happiest boy she'd ever seen. He always did like building things and for most of that day they were best friends… until he threw the cake at her. He wasn't the angel he was now. In any case… It was one of the few times they had ever willingly been friendly towards one another and, as incredibly stupid as she felt it was, made her feel that someday the two of them could once again find that common ground.

It had been both their fathers wish, verbally uttered or not, that they get along, at the very least.

In truth, she didn't want his company. What would she do with it other than add it on to the plethora of things that she already had with her father's company? Though, she took much pleasure in frustrating the blond to the point of pure anger, she took pleasure in knowing that she held his attention in a way that would normally put the two of them in bed with one another. She knew this to be true, for he held her attention in that very same department. Then again, a large part of her still hated him.

"What is wrong with me?" She questioned out loud.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Earth, Sanc Kingdom

Peace Manor

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

"Why don't you just give in to your carnal instincts and… ow!" Duo yelped as Hilde smacked the back of his head. "I'm just giving the man some advice!"

"Because he's not you." Heero stated putting his fork down and looking at the man. The salad that sat in front of him looked as though it had not been touched, much like the soup prior to that and the course that was to follow. "We've been over this a countless number of times."

"He has turned into a plum because of you." Hilde admonished pushing Duos shoulder. It was something that she did on a near hourly basis it seemed, scolding the man for one thing or another. She hoped that when the time came for them to have children, if he ever made a move in that direction, he would be more mature. She was highly doubtful. "I'm sorry Quatre, he can be such a dense moron at times."

"It's quite alright, Hilde." Quatre stated looking down at the dinner plate that was just placed in front of him. "I would never do anything to compromise her innocence."

"Yeah, sure you wouldn't." Duo snickered. "And who's to say she's so innocent?" Duo wriggled his eyebrows at the young man.

"Duo!"

"Honestly," Quatre said in a quiet voice. "She's never expressed an interest in myself. The only thing she has ever expressed is pure hatred. I'm an idiot for even thinking about her the way that I do, wouldn't you say?"

"Seriously, just stop." Trowa taking a side glance at the blond. Trowa knew Quatre better than… Quatre knew Quatre. He knew that his best friend was trying to avoid the obvious. "I know this may sound, completely insane and immature for both your ages, but she does it because she does like you, more than you can possibly perceive at this point in time, Quatre."

Quatre looked up from his plate and looked up at the brunette with a questioning gaze. He couldn't, for a moment, understand what Trowa was actually implying about the female business rival. It wasn't as if there was anything that was to be gained from Quatre dating the heiress, or was there? Was Trowa actually taking a side? A side that was not that of his own? Was Trowa creating a Camp Ganesh or a Camp Barton? Whose side was he actually rooting for?

Quatre shook his head.

No, that wasn't possible. Trowa would never go against him, or at least that's what he thought. In most decisions since the war, the two had always been on agreement. This may have factored into the belief that Duo and Trowa's sister Catherine had about the two being a couple, which was preposterous on more than one level. This was the first time Trowa had ever voiced his opinion in Quatre's love life and therefore it threw Quatre for a slight loop.

Or was there some ulterior motive behind the comment? Was there someone… someone who had caught the attention of the quiet man? Could it be…

"Could it be that you are interested in the young assistant, Ms. Parvati Singh?" Quatre questioned his head cocked to one side. It was the only clear explanation for the mans insistence on Quatre and Lalita liking one another. The look that passed over Trowa's face as he looked up from his meal and stared across the table at Heero, who sat directly across from him, in shock. He quickly recovered, shook his head and continued with his meal.

"That is neither here nor there at this point, Quatre." He replied. He looked at the blond man a moment before turning his gaze towards the plate on the table. When had this conversation become about his personal love life.

'Oh right, Quatre stirred it my personal life.' Quatre was good at that, making the conversation about someone other than himself, especially if it was a topic of great embarrassment. This was not going to be something he would let live down. He was tired of helping the blond avoid the raven haired woman and he was tired of being the center of speculation on his sexuality. It needed to stop and he was going to put an end to it one way or the other, even if it meant allowing himself to fall for the Singh girl. It wouldn't be hard for him, he knew that Parvati would be surprisingly good for him and he for her. But he was nothing going to allow Quatre the satisfaction and he prayed that he had some form of back up from at least Heero.

"She does not even know I exist beyond the realm of the Preventer Headquarters and that of my being one of the former Gundam Pilots. So therefore, there is no attraction on either part."

"Says the man who was asked, 'Mr. Barton, I am also attending, alone. All I ask for is a dance, nothing more.'" Heero imitated the young woman's accent perfectly.

'And apparently that was asking too much.' He thought looking up at the ceiling and then at Heero. Maybe if Wufei had been in attendance, maybe he'd have been saved. No, probably not, the Chinese man was more blunt about things than Heero, and a comment of his evident weakness would be pointed out for the whole room to dissect.

"Now that's just creepy." Duo shook his head. "That was word for word."

"And the way you rushed to get out of the break room…" Heero continued, ignoring the braided man. "It was as if the room had caught fire and you wanted nothing more than to get out of there. Am I right?"

"This is not a topic up for…" Trowa started placing his cloth napkin on his plate.

"Am I right?" Heero asked again. It was no use to argue the point, but there had to be a way out of the discussion. Maybe if he just laid out what he believed to have happened and then make his escape, he may get away unscathed. Doubtful, seeing as he knew Quatre… and Duo… enough to know that he would be cornered later.

"Wait? Ms. Singh was still in the building?" Quatre asked. "That's odd, Lalita never lets the girl out of her sight. She keeps her on a very tight leash."

"She claimed she was picking up some papers that were left on Unes desk." Heero said. "Though, I did find it odd, considering that…"

"Lalita was en route for the space shuttle, which she left over an hour before that, why would Parvati still have been in the building? She could have easily made it back to the Shuttle Port, and been on that shuttle, since it is a Ganesh Enterprise vehicle." Trowa shook his head and stood up from the table. "If you will excuse me, I will be retiring to my chambers."

"She was going against her employer, nice touch for a woman terrified of being eliminated from her job." Heero sat back in his chair. "What is she playing at?"

x-x-x-x-x

Lord Shiva Manor, L4

x-x-x-x-x

"Where are you?" Lalita glared at the woman that was on the screen. What Parvati had done was unacceptable, and she would pay for it dearly once she returned. "I sent you for my papers, we waited twenty minutes for you to arrive, when you did not show, we had to leave. We had no choice, we were not at a Ganesh airfield. I would like an answer, Parvati, and it had better be good."

"I'm sorry ma'am." Parvati hung her head. "I had to see Mr. Barton about something. I had found out from Ms. Une what you needed to know about Mr. Winner, and I immediately contacted you on the matter."

"Yes, you did. What did you need with the circus freak?" Lalita said as she put on her reading glasses and looked over the papers that had been placed on her desk by her maid. She didn't like Trowa Barton, something didn't sit right with her about him. To her it seemed as if he were the bodyguard and not the best friend of Quatre, and that angered her. She didn't have one of those… either of those things, a bodyguard or a best friend, why should the blond have both. "I suppose it had something to do with the holiday ball?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Parvati nodded. "I had to find out if he was attending, for I could not get an answer out of Ms. Une, but I had to wait for him to be available."

"Very…" Lalita was cut off by someone barging into her office in a rush. Without looking at the intruder, who was fighting off the secretaries pulling of his arm, she sighed. "Parvati, I'll speak with you when you return, please come to the estate." She hung up the phone and looked up at the intruder. "Ah, Mr. Bakshi, how wonderful see you." She paused and looked at her secretary. "It is alright, Anita, he is here with a reason, you may go." She turned back to the dark haired man. "Take a seat, Ravi, I take it you have the information I need? And delivered in person, no wonder Mr. Winner likes you as his assistant, but why not take you with him to Earth?"

"My wife is his sister, Ms. Ganesh." The man answered worriedly. "And she is eight and half months pregnant, if she were to go into early labor, who would be there to coach her?"

"Very wise." She answered reluctantly. She had to hand it to Winner, always the thoughtful man, always thinking of others before himself. She didn't deserve him. "I take you are delivering these in person for a reason?"

"If the number were to show up in the office, my brother-in-law would have my head." He answered. "My wife would be none too pleased either."

"Very well." Lalita stood up and walked around her desk, stopping in front of the man. "The papers, please."

"Now, this was not easy to come by, Ms. Ganesh, I'm technically not allowed into his office with out his being there. No one is allowed in there, except for Mr. Kurama, Dr. Winner and Mr. Barton. I had to fight with his secretary to get in there."

"This matters to me how?" Lalita wrenched the papers from his hands and then walked back to her desk. "I'm sure you can find your way out, seeing as you pummeled your way in here. I believe my secretary is in need of an apology and maybe a dozen yellow roses to show your sympathy to her plight."

"Of course, Ms Ganesh." Ravi Bakshi bowed his head before exiting the room. Lalita then took her seat and picked up the copied pages of Quatre Raberba Winners' date book.

"Lets see what you have planned, Mr. Winner."


End file.
